OGE Biology case studies
OGE Biology · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The OGE in Biology (ОГЭ по биологии) is the Russian basic state examination taken at the end of 9th grade. It serves two purposes: it contributes to the final school-leaving marks and it is used for admission to some secondary vocational programmes, particularly medical and agricultural colleges. It is intended for students who have completed the 5th–9th grade biology course and who choose biology as one of their elective examination subjects. The examination is built around the school curriculum rather than university-level content. The OGE Biology case studies are 5 cases and about 2,613 words.
1The Pond That Turned Green: Nitrogen, Algae and Oxygen
A village pond of about 2 000 m² receives runoff from a farmyard where cattle are kept. In May the water is clear and oxygen concentration near the surface is 9 mg/L.
530 words, about 3 min2Onion Root Tip: Reading a Mitosis Count
A student examines a prepared slide of an onion root tip under a microscope and counts 200 cells in the zone of active division, classifying each by nuclear appearance. Results: interphase 168; prophase 12; metaphase 8; anaphase 6; telophase 6.
496 words, about 2 min3The Antibiotic That Stopped Working
A patient with a throat infection is prescribed a 7-day course of an antibiotic. After 3 days the fever subsides and the patient stops taking the tablets, keeping the rest 'for next time'.
493 words, about 2 min4First Aid at the Sports Field: Heat, Fainting and a Sprain
During a school cross-country race at 28 °C, a 14-year-old runner collapses near the finish. She is pale, sweating heavily, her skin is cool and clammy, and she is briefly unconscious but breathing normally.
560 words, about 3 min5Reindeer, Lichen and a Warming Tundra
On a tundra island, reindeer feed mainly on lichen in winter, pawing through snow to reach it. Warmer winters bring more frequent freeze–thaw cycles that encase the lichen in hard ice.
534 words, about 3 min